Wave of poisoning at girls’ schools: protest in Iran flares up again

So far, more than 1,200 schoolgirls have had to be treated for poisoning in Iran. Many people believe that the regime is behind the crimes. One thing is clear: the protest against those in power is gaining new strength.

Even if the protests in Iran have calmed down at times, they still exist, as happened yesterday during Friday prayers in the city of Zahedan in the province of Sistan and Balochistan, which is known to be rebellious. “Death to the dictator,” shouts a group of demonstrators. This refers to the religious leader Ali Khamenei.

Especially because of the attacks on school girls in different cities across the country, parents have called for protests today in the city of Kermanshah. In front of the provincial capital’s education authority, they want to call on the government to put an end to the uncanny goings-on. According to an Iranian member of parliament, almost 1,200 schoolgirls have had to be treated medically for reasons such as shortness of breath, nausea and tachycardia. As this 15-year-old schoolgirl reports sitting on a hospital bed.

Many Iranians blame regimes for abuses

It is not yet clear with what substance the schoolgirls were poisoned in their classrooms. Substances used in the city of Qom apparently contained traces of nitrogen. Although the attacks have been going on for three months, it is still unclear who is responsible.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ahmad Wahidi has promised clarification: “It is clear that our enemies want to destabilize our country with such actions. Again they play with the emotions of our people and create fear.”

The interior minister did not say who these enemies are who are poisoning hundreds of girls. For many Iranians at home and abroad it is already clear: It is the regime itself that is behind the attacks. Why else hasn’t an intensive search been carried out for the perpetrators? The motive is clear, says this woman on a shopping street in Tehran:

Another passer-by says: “I’m convinced it’s a planned action.”

Expert: Extremist groups are also conceivable as perpetrators

Is it the perpetrators’ concern that girls generally do not go to school? Or are these attacks a revenge by the regime for schoolgirls taking part in the protests of the past six months? Ali Fathollah-Nejad, political scientist and Iran expert, does not necessarily see the regime as a direct actor, but refers to extremist groups.

“In the past, for example in 2014 in cities like Isfahan, we also had attacks by extremist groups. At that time, acid attacks on women’s faces. And there was no will on the part of the state to investigate.”

International sympathy

In the meantime, Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has also expressed concern about the attacks on the schoolgirls. Girls should be able to go to school without fear, the Greens politician tweeted.

The US President’s Office also expressed its deep concern. The world needs to know why, said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in Washington.

The international community could certainly act more robustly, believes Iran expert Fathollah-Nejad: “Much, much more pressure could be generated against the regime of the Islamic Republic. Many more sanctions against the power elite, but international isolation would also be important here Signals also to the protest movement.”

If the poison attacks are really a reaction to girls protesting against the regime, then they have managed to get their siblings and parents to take to the streets as well. Like today in Kermanshah.